Actor Gary Busey has been sentenced to two years of probation after pleading guilty to a sexual offense stemming from a 2022 incident at a horror movie convention in New Jersey.
The 81-year-old star was sentenced on Thursday during a virtual hearing in Camden, New Jersey.
Busey declined to speak at the proceeding, telling the judge he was following his attorney’s advice. His attorney asked the court to impose only a fine, citing the actor’s age, ongoing health concerns and his permanent residence in California. But Judge Gwendolyn Blue determined probation was appropriate given the seriousness of the offense. The judge also ordered the actor to have no contact with the victim.
Busey has 45 days to appeal and may have his probation transferred to California.
Busey was accused of groping multiple women, including one allegation that he attempted to unfasten a woman’s bra, during photo opportunities at the Monster-Mania Convention held at the DoubleTree Hotel in Cherry Hill in August 2022. He was pulled from the event, and victims were encouraged to contact the police.
The actor was initially charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact, one count of attempted criminal sexual contact, and one count of harassment. In July, Busey pleaded guilty to one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact. During that hearing, he acknowledged the incident was not “an accidental touching.”
Busey, an Oscar nominee known for roles in Point Break and Lethal Weapon, denied the accusations when they first surfaced, claiming the alleged encounters lasted only seconds and insisting “nothing happened.”